IoMT: Driving Value Beyond Health and Care
A study by Deloitte expects that health care as we know it today will no longer exist by 2040. The development of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), is predicted to transform the health ecosystem, from the device management, clinical trials, and pandemic prevention.
The IoMT is taking advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT) growth for the medical industry. It is a connected infrastructure of medical devices, software applications, health systems, and services that generate, collect, analyze or transmit health data or images through internal servers or a cloud repository. With the connected devices and services, IoMT offers various advantages to every part of the medical industry, beyond increasing patient satisfaction.
IoMT for Biomedical Engineer: Smart Equipment Management
Innovation has always been at the forefront of what medical device companies do, and the work in the IoT has been a big boost for the healthcare industry. Such as, the cloud enables connecting devices, real-time data collection, and access to performance data from the medical devices.
A biomedical department typically covers a large number of medical devices. With smart equipment management, powered with IoMT, the device can continuously capture and transfer data, provide engineers with faster support response in the field, predict maintenance issues before failure happens, and provide a tremendous opportunity for a growing portfolio of devices. Moreover, with the reduction of machine downtime, it can translate into a significant cost saving.
By taking advantage of the complete cloud platform, IoT, machine learning, and real-time data, medical device producers benefit from improving and transforming healthcare in partnership with clinicians, patients, hospitals, etc. That is tying clinical insights with engineering knowledge for better patient outcomes.
IoMT for Healthcare Delivery: Revolutionize Information Management
Moreover, the real-time data collected from devices not only benefit the engineers. It also allows the healthcare providers and clinical trial researchers to have better control over asset management, utilization, patient management, staff safety, etc.
The IoMT allows continuous data monitoring in clinical research and trials, improving study oversight, reducing site visits, and ensuring patient compliance. All are leading to shortened study timelines and reduced costs. In addition, the application of biosensors, wearable, and mobile devices to collect the data and transmit it into cloud databases, combined with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platforms, analyzes the data in real-time, thus improving clinically relevant information filing.
The real-time data gathered then allows research personnel and sponsors to promptly address any issues, such as making the product or trial design adjustments before pre-market and commercial claims, collecting consistent, unbiased data, and remote monitoring for data analysis. These can help accelerate time to market by producing high-quality insights and accelerating regulatory approval.
IoMT for Early Disease Control and Prevention
A study by AH Mohd Aman et al. mentioned that the diversity and prevalence of IoMT systems are excellent candidates for preventing, predicting, and monitoring emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19. The use of IoMT as a health monitoring system provides real-time surveillance through wearable health-monitoring devices, artificial intelligence (AI), Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN), and cloud-based remote health testing. IoMT is helpful as an early warning system to control the infectious diseases spread, minimize the risk of infection, and expedite testing procedures.
As social distancing remains the norm for many people, IoMT has shown itself to be one of the leading medical technologies in the pandemic era. Monitoring and analyzing a patient’s health without physical contact fits right in social distancing policies, as well as limiting hospital visits can reduce disease transmission. Moreover, the emerging of various biosensors can inform a person of any irregularities in their system.
The IoMT’s goals are to provide more accurate diagnoses, fewer mistakes, and lower costs of care. Achieving these goals would help both the healthcare industry and the patient financially. A recent study by Goldman Sachs estimated that IoMT would save the medical sector $300 billion annually in expenditure, mainly through remote patient monitoring, personal emergency response system, and telehealth.
These are just some potential applications of the IoMT – there are myriad more. Learn more about how mobile devices support IoMT at: www.winmate.com